High and Low Dam Tarns.
Make your way by car to Stott Bobbin Mill and park in the car park on the road above the Mill car parks. Look out for this plaque which gives you an informative relief map of the walk.
Low Dam Tarn
This rusty old valve, in the dam wall, is a reminder of the time that the reservoirs ensured constant water pressure for Stott Mill's turbine. Don't cross over the dam wall as Islay was inclined to do. But instead use the footbridge to cross over the stream and continue up hill.
Soon you will reach the higher stone dam of High Dam Tarn. This is the tarn which captivated me into saying "surely the prettiest in the Lake District".
Again, I didn't cross over the dam wall here, but continued on round the tarn finding lovely little picnic spots, like the one above, on the way. At the north end of the tarn, keep the tarn firmly on your left, where little bridges and board walks span boggy areas.
The path climbs higher now on the slopes of Great Green How. If you have time there's just one seat to rest and appreciate the view.
In early Autumn there are fairy dells of toadstools and in spring the slopes are scattered with clumps of primroses.
Finish your walk by crossing over the dam of Low Dam Tarn and continuing back to your car by the way that you came. This walk took me an hour and a half but by paddling and picnicing and resting it could easily take half a day.
Janet and Islay 3rd September 2014
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